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Determine your eligibility – Resuming citizenship

Changes to the Citizenship Act and Regulations have come into force and a new application form is now required. You must use the June 2015 version of the form for any application you submit on or after June 11, 2015. If you do not use the new form, we will return your application to you.

If we return an incomplete application to you and you re-submit it to us on or after June 11, 2015, you must use the new application.

General eligibility

To be eligible to resume your Canadian citizenship, you must meet the following requirements.

You must:

have been a Canadian citizen

have become a permanent resident of Canada after you lost your Canadian citizenship

have no unfulfilled conditions relating to your status as a permanent resident

have been physically present in Canada as a permanent resident for at least 365 days in the two years immediately before you apply

have met your personal income tax filing obligations for the taxation year immediately before you apply, and

have the intention, if granted citizenship, to live in Canada, work outside Canada as a Crown servant, or live abroad with certain family members who are Crown servants.

You must not:

have had your Canadian citizenship taken away (revoked)

be under a removal order (an order from Canadian officials to leave Canada) or

Eligibility for Canadian Armed Forces members

If you were a Canadian citizen and you are or were a member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), you might be able to resume Canadian citizenship through a fast-track process for Canadian Armed Forces members. You must meet the standard qualifications to resume citizenship, with the one exception that you do not need to be living in Canada as a permanent resident for at least 365 days in the two years before you apply. Under the new fast-track rules, you must have completed at least six months (182 days) of service in, or with, the CAF in the two years before you apply.

If you are or were a foreign military member attached or seconded to the CAF, you might also be eligible. You must meet the conditions of a CAF member with the exception that you do not need to be a permanent resident of Canada and you do not need to meet the tax filing obligation.